


Offering up ..

by orphan_account



Series: The Long Road [14]
Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, M/M, Other, Religion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-14
Updated: 2011-09-14
Packaged: 2017-10-23 18:11:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/253341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A phone call helps to sort James out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Offering up ..

James’ injuries from the cilice were so sore that they changed their normal positions and Robbie curled up in his lover’s arms, trying to put his thighs where it would hurt least.

 

James stroked his hair and whispered over and over “I’m so sorry, Robbie” until Lewis pressed his mouth firmly onto James’ and then said indistinctly “I know, now shut up” at which they both giggled again.

 

Maggie rang on Robbie’s mobile in the evening, really worried about what she’d read in the email. James took the phone from his lover and explained what had happened, very candidly and without hiding anything.

 

Maggie hit the roof.

 

James held the phone so they both could hear her high-octane soliloquy in that snappy, hard-consonant tone that made her scary to listen to when she was angry.

 

“I took you for many things Hathaway, but not a fool. What kind of idiot are you? Do you know exactly how much Robbie loves you?” The “ckt” sound in “exactly” nearly popped his eardrums. “Or me for that matter?”

There was a pause while he tried to decide if that question was rhetorical or not.

“Don’t think for a minute that I don’t know what you have been up to, Hathaway.” She was warming to her subject and the sound of his name could have burned the skin off his ear. “It’s bloody homo-erotic, isn’t it? Spot of religious masochism eh? Scarifying your own dick, hmm?” This was definitely a rhetorical question, she didn’t want an answer.

“Well apart from your own pathetic and sordid self-gratification, you’ve worried the living bejayzus out of Robbie. Do you think I left just because I fancied a sea trip for the good of my health? Hmmm, well do you, James? No – I could have had you, I could have turned you, I could have played on your desire to be “normal” and made you mine. I could have been your beard, you stupid arsehole. But I buggered off because I know how right you and Robbie are together. I didn’t want to get in the way of that. Are you listening to me, Hathaway?”

 

He swallowed hard and said meekly “Yes, Maggie,” and it wasn’t at all funny. She took a deep breath and ploughed on.

 

“I didn’t do it so you could become a self-indulgent little prick hiding behind his faith. I tell you what you’ve done Hathaway – Robbie calling me in, in Christ’s name, as a fellow-Catholic, has made me your confessor ……… would you agree? In a case of extremis, in the absence of an ordained priest, a person of the faith can take the priest’s place in good heart for sacrament … baptism, extreme unction, confession … would you agree with me Hathaway? Is that not canon? Well, isn’t it?”

 

She was quoting him chapter and verse. She was right – but she would be, she had been a sister – he gulped again and said “You’re right.”

 

Maggie continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Well I have two things to say to you, Hathaway first as your confessor and then as your friend and your sister in Christ. Firstly – I am going to charge you with offering up your suffering. The pain you’ve inflicted on yourself physically because of the pain you are experiencing mentally – you are going to offer it up. Do you hear me? This is not up for discussion.”

 

James bit his lip and shook his head but said faintly “I will offer it up.”

 

Maggie continued inexorably “Say it, Hathaway – I want to hear the words.”

In a barely audible whisper he said “Oh my Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

Maggie drew in a deep breath and said more quietly “Good, I like the Fatima prayer. So if you ever, ever want to do something that stupid again … what will be your reaction, having offered it up this time? Tell me, Hathaway.”

 

“If I do it again it will be as if I do it directly to Christ Himself because he has taken these hurts for me this time” he whispered.

 

“Right, so you won’t be able to do it,” she agreed and then slightly less aggressively “and on another plane completely. How can you do this in the name of Mother Church when that vicious organisation elevates monsters like Father Ignacio and silences good, honest people like Father Moreton. James, you were a victim and now you have the chance to be happy, what good mother wouldn’t want that for her son?”

Her voice softened, almost as if she were his mother, pushing him towards love and happiness. Robbie stroked James’ thigh as they lay with the phone between their heads and Maggie an almost tangible presence in the room.

 

“Maybe leaving wasn’t such a good idea,” she continued. “But hey – if you guys want a holiday in Brittany in the next week or two, come on over. I’ll understand if you don’t want to but the offer is there if you need some space. Hand me back to Robbie would you?”

Silently, James handed the phone over to Robbie and closed his eyes, folding his hands in prayer. Robbie spoke to Maggie

 

“Thanks, pet. I was at my wits’ end. I think he’ll be alright now. Is there anything you can think of I can do?”

 

Maggie’s throaty, smoky laugh rattled down the phone “Just what you do best, Robbie love – adore him. Remind him he’s “offered up his pain” remember that phrase; it is an abracadabra for us. Is he praying now? Good. Are you OK?”

 

“I’ll live. Thanks for that Maggie. I really appreciate it.” There was a pause and then Robbie tried for a hit at normality “So what are you doing in Brittany then?”

 

Maggie hesitated and then laughed again, that husky growl and said “I’m freelancing as a lesbian prostitute. Amazing how many married men want to watch their wife perform with another woman, but one that is safe, professional and disappears afterwards. It’s very lucrative and rather interesting. I’m getting to meet some fascinating people.”

 

Robbie didn’t know what to say. His silence spoke for him. She closed off the conversation – “Look after the boy, Robbie. Let me know if I can be of help. Maybe visiting isn’t such a good idea after all.”

 

“No, Maggie, perhaps not, let’s not give him too many choices to make eh, pet?”

 

“There’s no choice for him, Robbie, love. You’re his choice…and I’m pleased for you both, really I am. Stay in touch eh?”

 

She’d cut the communication before he could answer and James was still praying silently so Robbie lay down and sighed deeply – he’d never understand Catholics, not as long as he lived. Certainly not this particular one, he thought, as he folded his hands under his head and stared at the ceiling.


End file.
